I am going to cosplay as an asian female.. are there any tips to enhance certain parts of my face and eyes to have a more asian appearance?

archangeli

04-04-2004, 10:28 PM

there's a book called "Asian Beauty" ( I forgot the author) but basically it details skin care and makeup tips specifically for asian women.

The gist of the makeup tips is fairly straightforward.

- use a med-coverage foundation to even out your complexion. powder lightly to set the foundation.

- don't wear too much blush. since asians don't usually have high cheekbones it just looks fake. instead use a highlighting product to create the illusion of light hitting the cheekbones. Try High Beam by BeneFit

- it's all about the eyes :) the stereotype look is black eyeliner, a moderrn shade of eyeshadow and not too much mascara. (although in Japan, spiky lashes are in)

- eyebrows should be fine and well groomed. the arch should be roughly above your pupil

Think Lucy Liu - simple, clean, flawless, gorgeous.

Xanthe Kelsylva

04-07-2004, 05:05 PM

Wow, that's totally different than what I did when I wanted to look Asian for a song I performed. Here's how I did my make-up when I sang a J-pop song for Multi Cultural day at school (note: I don't normally wear any make up at all and this was for a stage performance):

Eyes: I used a black eyeliner and purple eyeshadow so that my eyes would be more visible from the audiance. Instead of outlining my eyes normally, I extended the lines outward to make my eyes look more almond-shaped and less rounded.

Foundation: Didn't use any. I don't remember using any blush, either. This caused the stage lights to make me look very pale though, since I'm pale to begin with. This works if you're going for the too-much-makeup Malice Mizer type look or Gackt's vampire look.

Lipstick: I used pure red lipstick so my lips would be more visible from the audiance.

This look differs from the other one because a) it was designed for the stage and b) it's more of the Gackt look than the more natural Asian look. You know how Mulan has her makeup done at the beginning of the movie "Mulan"? It had the same effect. And one person in the audiance said she actually thought I was Japanese with the robe, hair style and make up that I used for that.

archangeli

04-07-2004, 09:41 PM

it depends on what look you are going for.

stage makeup and "real life" makeup are completely different things. even *I* don't use the same routine as school and work when I know I'm going to be performing.

stage makeup is about defining your features to make them visible to even the last person in the audience.

JennMidori

04-08-2004, 02:41 AM

I think archangeli's makeup tips are right on, especially about the cheekbones.

If you're going to be on stage, you can get stage makeup by Ben Nye in a shade called "Chinese" that is has a bronze/yellow tint to it. Otherwise, don't muck with your skin tone too much, unless you can find makeup in your shade that is just slightly more yellow or olive. Even then, be sure to extend the makeup beyond your face, so you don't look like you're wearing a mask.

For eyes, line only on the upper lid, in a thick, straight line that extends slightly beyond your eye. Be careful that this line doesn't angle too far down or up, which you make you look egyptian or just plain ridiculous. ^_^;;; Avoid eyeshadow, especially in the crease of your eye, as this will emphasize its roundness. If you use mascara, don't curl the lashes too much.

If you're really serious about this, some companies sell kits that allow you to use latex and "invisible" string to actually pull back your eyes. The nontoxic compound will bond a small patch of skin below your temple to the string, which will be pulled back and secured behind your head. My drama club used this method to create "Chinese" girls for a show several years ago. The girls were a little uncomfortable at first, but they seemed to get used to it, and there weren't any allergic reactions or major problems with the process. This seems a little extreme, but it does produce a more realistic effect. The latex can get a little clumpy, but you can use makeup or style your hair to cover it.

The rule of thumb is comfort: if you feel like you're going overboard with your makeup, you probably are. (The exception to this rule is stage makeup, of course.) Unless you're cosplaying a geisha, you don't want to look too bright or garish. My grandma is from Okinawa, and if my Mom or I wear makeup or clothes that she thinks are too "out there," she calls us (this is only phoenetic, i don't know the actual romanji) "chin-don-ya," which my mom says is like a poorly dressed peddler or clown. ^_^;;;

In any event, even if you don't look "authentically" asian, I don't think it makes a big difference. Most cosplayers outside of Japan aren't Japanese, after all. A great cosplay doesn't mean you have to imitate even the facial features of the character. But nonetheless, I admire your effort to get the details. ^_~

sheenaringo

04-11-2004, 10:27 PM

well, the thing is i am not doing a anime character...i'm doing a singer. i just basically want to make my face more enhanced in the areas where needed to create a more japanese look. and it won't be performance-wise...lol. ciaociao

Talim

04-18-2004, 03:59 AM

They sell eyelids made of foam latex (I believe) at costume shops. You just glue them onto your eyelid and ta-da! I haven't seen them on...it just seems like a good option to change your eye shape.

sheenaringo

04-20-2004, 01:03 PM

that sounds very scary....

lemming

04-20-2004, 06:48 PM

Oy, there was a way of making one's eyes look asian in a makeup technique book I once had for school. You pretty much used thin cardboard and spirit glue, and then makeup, and....I stopped reading. Not something I would even remotely think of for an outfit.

I agree with JennMidori, comfort and safety first. The invisible string sounds like the best way to go.

sheenaringo

04-21-2004, 03:11 PM

Last year at otakon i had sequins glued on around my eyes and ever since then, i wanna stay away from doing anything like that... lets just say it made abrasions taking them off and my skin was still dyed that color, even after i cried most of it off in my car accident on the way home.

Scortia

04-21-2004, 07:17 PM

I think archangeli's makeup tips are right on, especially about the cheekbones.

If you're going to be on stage, you can get stage makeup by Ben Nye in a shade called "Chinese" that is has a bronze/yellow tint to it. Otherwise, don't muck with your skin tone too much, unless you can find makeup in your shade that is just slightly more yellow or olive. Even then, be sure to extend the makeup beyond your face, so you don't look like you're wearing a mask.

I advise not to use their Japanese though... I put it on and it looked like I had jaundice. ~_~

die-sama

04-23-2004, 12:03 AM

o_o
wow for some reason i'm mildly amused by this post
first off ur cosplaying Sheena Ringo correct?
she's acutally quite pale in most videos, once in a while she'll be lightly tanned.
as for Sheena's eyes, they are acutally quite round and big. in fact i thin kthe only thing very asian about her is her face shape and her eyebrows. Her eyebrows are higher up because its not so close to her eyes.
also, what do u look like?
do u have a picture (i dont remember seeing u at otakon)
if so, i think tha tplays a part in it.
but honestly, know what i suggesT?
show the picture of sheena, then we talk about makeup :P
sometimes she does pretty nutty makeup and even a caucasion could definitly pull it off :P
like that one video where shes' got a very pale face, and red lines across her eyes, thats very visual makeup and doesnt take much "altering" to look "asian"

:p btw i'm a tad bit confused about the yellow-tinting thing
damn O-o didnt know i was that dark XD
i'm usually paler than most of my white friends

:shudders at lucy liu: >,< she scares me for some reason ;;_;; i think she did it when she said "hubba hubba" in that one movie w/ mel gibson,,,,ahh :runs away now:

deschaos

05-13-2004, 03:33 PM

I agree...it's really hard to look Asian unless you somewhat resemble one. If you have deep set eyes, then it would be a little more easier. You would have to make your eyebrow line really clean though. Also, eyelashes are spiky. They have been for quite a while, since that's the natural thing that happens to Asian eyelashes once you put mascara on them. I haven't seen many caucasians pull that trick off though...

Most, if not all, Asians have HIGH cheekbones. If you don't, it's really hard to make the illusion, since if you put a higlighter under your eyes, you could look... really funny.

Also, try to make your skin as smooth as possible, and as glowy as possible. Asians have beautiful skin. And that includes the body too.

It would be really helpful if we can get a picture of you though...

And yes, I AM Asian.

hyde

05-13-2004, 05:30 PM

die-chan - btw i'm a tad bit confused about the yellow-tinting thing
damn O-o didnt know i was that dark XD
i'm usually paler than most of my white friends

True, true. I'm also very pale but I'm Asian. Actually, pale is the "in" thing in Asia. (except for ganguro gals, etc. haha...) You shouldn't even bother if you're fair skinned by trying to get a yellow highlighter or foundation color... o.o; People in Asia even use bleachers to make their skin as white as possible...
The book for Asians "Asian Beauty" is tips for their skin, eyes, etc. It really has to match your skin type.

die-sama

05-13-2004, 08:47 PM

well i didnt mean it that extreme :X

i'm guilty of wearing other culture stuff
...
damn :/ if i wasn't i can't wear Kimonos ^,^;;
i'm chinese not japanese

also, >< i have this thing for French 18th century stuff :X
god..big wigs.....big dresses.. :drooooools:

so i dont feel like thats a big problem :X

just,,
stereotypes aint cool

if u gonan cosplay a asian..
why not just...do the hair, and costume correctly?
and not make urself look so "omg she's asian!'
^^; cuz..
just..
make it your own :X

i KNOW i dont look white w/ a lot of cosplays i do XD when i'm supposed to look "white" :P

Karisu-sama

05-13-2004, 09:34 PM

Yeah, I KNOW this is a make-up thread. I'm going to misbehave and go off-topic for a mo', since deschaos brought the subject of clothes into a make-up discussion for some reason...
actually for some reason, I get really mad when people wear the traditional Asian clothes when they're not Asian
[OFF-TOPIC]
What, I'm not "allowed" to wear my cheongsam, even though I'm the wife of a Chinese immigrant? :p Lol.... Maybe he should never wear jeans... Should I yell at all the Asian EGL girls for stealing traditional Western Victorian formalwear designs? Of course not.... And my Happa daughters need not "choose" between fashions either.

While you are of course entitled to your feelings, no culture exists in a vacuum; fashions have always borrowed from ethnic styles all over the world, and even wearing fully traditional ethnic clothic in a non-mocking fashion is a usually considered a tribute to its wonderful design and a nod of admiration and appreciation for its cultural origin, not an insult or rip-off.

In any case, regarding COSTUMING and COSPLAY, the costume that any character may wear, of any design origin (ethnic, historical, modern, fusion, etc.) is fair game. It has to be - one CAN'T designate certain particular designs as "off-limits" for people of certain ethnicities, height, weight, skin tone, hair color, etc. That would be both rude and discriminatory.
[/OFF-TOPIC]

Now I suggest please try to keep make-up threads on-topic, eh? If COSTUME designs based on ethnic clothing require discussion, that topic should go into the "Other Costumes" forum if about generic design, into "Anime Costumes" if from specific anime such as Rurouni Kenshin & such, etc. etc. Cosplay.com is about costuming and cosplay.

Hotaru Tomoe

05-14-2004, 12:18 AM

Most, if not all, Asians have HIGH cheekbones. If you don't, it's really hard to make the illusion, since if you put a higlighter under your eyes, you could look... really funny.

lol Yeah, I was confused when someone back there said Asians don't have high cheekbones. I have rather high cheekbones as well as more almond shaped eyes, and I've been accused of lying when I say I'm not asian. I've had quite a few people ask if I was, and I admit I do look like I could be half Japanese or something, but I'm not.

About the only non-asian thing about me is unless I pluck them I have rather thick eyebrows. I used to pluck them but stopped.. don't know why I did, I liked it. *frowns thoughtfully... walks off with a pair of tweezers*

Karisu-sama

05-14-2004, 12:32 AM

About the only non-asian thing about me is unless I pluck them I have rather thick eyebrows.
Er.... not all Asians have thin eyebrows, or much less body hair than other "racial" types.

I know... my mouth and jaw deffinately aren't asian looking, and I hate my nose, though it doesn't look quite so bad in person.
I do have some older pics that I do look more asian-style.. Those are the pics I mean but I'm not posting them just to "prove a point" because I'm not trying to prove a point. lol

Hmmm... anyhow, back on the make-up topic, I'd love to give some tips but I doubt I'd come up with anything better than what's been said already. ^^;

hyde

05-14-2004, 10:18 PM

Honestly... Japanese have the thickest eye brows compared to other Asians. haha... ;P

hyde

05-14-2004, 10:24 PM

OT: I don't think people should overreact and "wanna look Asian" in the first place. Like other cultures shouldn't care if they wanna look white or black or Hispanic. Just look like who you are and appreciate your hot looks. LoL Wanting to look like something you're not just leads you no where.

Yeah, so if you're light skinned, you don't NEED to put the extra white make up. Sometimes it looks really funny if you do it incorrectly. If you wanna cover your face white like a geisha, you have to cover ever peachy (or whatever skin color you have) flesh you have with the white so it doesn't look like a clown: including neck, ears, prolly near your chest, eye lids, etc. to your hairline.

This was not what you were asking for... XD Just extra tip on that though.

Eleryth

05-28-2004, 08:30 AM

Honestly... Japanese have the thickest eye brows compared to other Asians. haha... ;P

Really? Nearly every girl and boy I see have shaved off parts of their eyebrows to make a better shape - many girls (and older women) have shaved their eyebrows off completely, then draw them again in pencil so they have a nice shape.

I have no tips for looking Asian, other than that the Japanese girls are really good at eyeliner - it's hardly noticeable, but their eyes stand out. Also, when they are on their own (as in, not at school), many wear false eyelashes (you can even buy them in their version of dollar stores).

Working women tend to wear a light shimmer the covers their eye all the way up to the eyebrow; common colors include light green, beiges, whites, and pinks. Schoolgirls, obviously, have other ideas about makeup, usually heavily focused on the eyes.

hyde

05-28-2004, 10:24 PM

Really? Nearly every girl and boy I see have shaved off parts of their eyebrows to make a better shape - many girls (and older women) have shaved their eyebrows off completely, then draw them again in pencil so they have a nice shape.

Yeah that's what I mean. I'm saying that's why the girls always get their eyebrows done so thin because they naturally have thick eyebrows. (who wants thick eyebrows? I certainly hate mine. XD) And also guys who don't care to get them done are supposed to have them thick and brushed up... can't really explain that. XD

cutelilzombie

05-28-2004, 11:40 PM

just my opinion:

but i highly condone authenticity. if someone wants to go "all out" when costuming and do it down to the "last detail" i'm all for it. shows effort and appreciation for the original artwork/creation. Honestly, i'd rather see some white girl try to make her eyes a lil more almond shaped and tone down her lips to look a lil more "asian" than see another 300lb yuna blaspheming amano's artwork. i really think you should start with what you have and highlight it. when i cosplay i take into account my body shape and my height. i'm not gonna try and pull off sailor jupiter cause i'm 5'2" and it would look ridiculous. anyhow, go for the make up. your face and your hair are things you can change.

btw: don't take it as such an insult because people appreciate your culture enough to want to wear traditional clothing from it (kimonos etc) I didn't get upset when Hide wore a cowboy hat in one of his music videos. in fact, i think its cute seeing asian guys in "western" clothes hehehe... ^_^;;

avskull

05-29-2004, 12:37 AM

if you want "the Asian" facial structure that i suggest you go for the plastic surgery. "almond eyes"... never really thought of it that way. Iím Asian and this is the first time Iím hearing about the facial structure of an Asian, being put into an science.

Mei

06-25-2004, 02:44 AM

*sigh* To answer the question

You will want to use an eyeliner that emphasizes the upper lid, esp at the baseline. I'm not saying that you should use an inch worth of eyeliner to compensate, but you should make an effort to "carve out" an Almond-eye look *or whatever look you want*. Same thing on the bottom.

That is really the only tip I can give you. Good luck :)

Happy Mushroom

06-25-2004, 10:54 AM

Well, I've recently noticed in a few pictures, like Mana for example, where they make the illusion of having a crease between the upper eyelid and the eyebrows, like many western people, by just adding a little curve of eyeliner right above your eye before you put all the eye make-up on.
So I say that it all depends on who you are cosplaying, be it some J-rock hubby or just a plain everyday school girl. Just try to be accurate with who your cosplaying and not go overboard and pile all the make-up on so it looks like you just used paint. ;)

-- The Mushroom

Shanks

06-25-2004, 02:28 PM

Yeah that's what I mean. I'm saying that's why the girls always get their eyebrows done so thin because they naturally have thick eyebrows. (who wants thick eyebrows? I certainly hate mine. XD) And also guys who don't care to get them done are supposed to have them thick and brushed up... can't really explain that. XD

Im a thick brows, and I like mines u_u

true_asian

09-12-2004, 12:10 AM

lol Yeah, I was confused when someone back there said Asians don't have high cheekbones. I have rather high cheekbones as well as more almond shaped eyes, and I've been accused of lying when I say I'm not asian. I've had quite a few people ask if I was, and I admit I do look like I could be half Japanese or something, but I'm not.

About the only non-asian thing about me is unless I pluck them I have rather thick eyebrows. I used to pluck them but stopped.. don't know why I did, I liked it. *frowns thoughtfully... walks off with a pair of tweezers*

LOL!!! damn u white ass trash must be hella sad if you think you look asian. LOL!!! oh man, that's gotta be the gayest thing i've ever heard/seen. look hotaru girl, or w/e, whoever said you looked asian must be white because any true asian person would know you don't look a damn thing like us. so don't even try. you only lower the respect of your race. just be yourself why don't you. gosh, can't even be proud of your own heritage. does it really matter what you look like???

deschaos

09-12-2004, 07:59 PM

Aw well.. I personally would like my eyebrows thinner again...

I know... my mouth and jaw deffinately aren't asian looking, and I hate my nose, though it doesn't look quite so bad in person.
I do have some older pics that I do look more asian-style.. Those are the pics I mean but I'm not posting them just to "prove a point" because I'm not trying to prove a point. lol

Hmmm... anyhow, back on the make-up topic, I'd love to give some tips but I doubt I'd come up with anything better than what's been said already. ^^;

Actually, you don't really look Asian. e.e;;

to Karisu: The difference is, Asians look alot cuter. It has more to do with scale. It's just when hoardes of morbidly overweight people decide that "oh, I look soooo kool in this kimono/cheongsam/hanbok" and traipse around like that and say that they're soo Asian. As for Victorian, well, it's a style that had previously been in Japan around the Meiji Era or so, and by now, the Japanese re-picked it up and peed all over it and pretty much claimed it as theirs. But the thing is, you're really not going to pay any attention to what I'm going to say online. >.< I don't actually go around and tell them in their face that they're wrong, but I will go off and express my opinions through the net, where others may or may not disagree. It's kinda like gun rights vs gun control. I believe that people have the right to bear arms. Others think not.

Most Asians don't wear makeup like caucasians, so makeup should not scream out at the person, unless they're goth-type peoples. In other words, unless if you're cosplaying as a person with heavy eyeliner, DON'T PUT ON SO MUCH EYELINER.

It's really hard to make yourself look another ethnicity simply because the bone structure is different, unless you are 1/2 asian, and even then, it becomes rathar iffy, since from what I see, half Koreans don't really look very Asian, and some half Japanese look more western than Japanese, or can look very Japanese. But general rule is, if an Asian can't tell, then you passed.

Neko_Emiko

10-01-2005, 02:38 AM

I don't know what all the arguments and judging are about, all she asked was for tips to make her look more like her cosplay character. Get over your problems and help the girl...

Personally when I cosplayed Gothic Lolita I put on a thin coat of a cream or whitish colored eyeshadow and then lined the outer half of my upper lid with liquid eyeliner and pulled it out just a bit past the lid. It isn't really "authentic" but has more of an anime look to it if you want to try. I had to wear mascara too b/c I naturally have lighter lashes.

Hope this helped!

livengood

10-01-2005, 03:02 AM

LOL!!! damn u white ass trash must be hella sad if you think you look asian. LOL!!! oh man, that's gotta be the gayest thing i've ever heard/seen. look hotaru girl, or w/e, whoever said you looked asian must be white because any true asian person would know you don't look a damn thing like us. so don't even try. you only lower the respect of your race. just be yourself why don't you. gosh, can't even be proud of your own heritage. does it really matter what you look like???

How about you back off and be a little more respect you racist jerk.

"White ass trash" What's wrong with you? It's fine to be opinionated, it's wrong to act like a complete (pardon my language) jack ass about it

Neko_Emiko

10-01-2005, 03:17 AM

I am in total agreement...this was all about makeup tips and somehow some ppl turned it into something rude and disrespectful...get a life and get on with your cosplaying.

Dante_realremix

10-01-2005, 03:32 AM

LOL!!! damn u white ass trash must be hella sad if you think you look asian. LOL!!! oh man, that's gotta be the gayest thing i've ever heard/seen. look hotaru girl, or w/e, whoever said you looked asian must be white because any true asian person would know you don't look a damn thing like us. so don't even try. you only lower the respect of your race. just be yourself why don't you. gosh, can't even be proud of your own heritage. does it really matter what you look like???
Comments like this make you look as bad as the Arian Nation. If you're going to be a racist bitch, you might want to think twice before posting on a website I frequent. Fair warning, do not be stupid.

Nina Star 9

10-01-2005, 11:06 AM

back on topic...

is there any way to minimize an eye crease? mine tends to be a bit more defined than i would like for some of the cosplays i do. also, how do you do the eye shape with eyeliner again? i am not quite clear on taht. is there any way to make it look like you have very little make-up on and still make yourself look a little more asian?

Neko_Emiko

10-01-2005, 01:24 PM

I wouldn't worry about the eye crease. A lot of asians now a days create one with this special glue or use makeup like Mana does. Subtle is best. Minimal makeup and pretty much no lipstick. It doesn't have to b perfect. I'd focus more on getting the costume right then looking asian.

Nina Star 9

10-01-2005, 01:43 PM

okay. this patricular singer does not have the fake crease, though... :thumbsup: i attached a picture of her. it is rather hard to see, but still shows her face well.

is there any way to make a face look flatter and look like the eyes are smaller?

Neko_Emiko

10-01-2005, 03:27 PM

Welll in that particular pic it looks like the inner corners of her eyes angle down a little. You could try to get that effect with a thin line of eyeliner and just extend it downward at the end.Maybe try to focus on the brows a bit too since there really isn't a whole lot you can do with your eyes becuase you aren't japanese...but mostly costume, costume, costume:)

Nina Star 9

10-01-2005, 04:52 PM

okay. i will try that. ^^ thank you.

deschaos

10-01-2005, 06:10 PM

Mer... coming back after a cooldown period... sorry for being a racist jerk... I just realized something that I can't quite put into words without sounding offensive.

I've noticed that Japanese people have more defined features than most Asians, so I wouldn't really worry about making your face flatter. If anything, you want to make your face look rounder. Asians in general have rounder cheeks than caucasians

I've heard that if you line your eyes all the way around it looks smaller... You may want to try that and heavily line the outer corner of your eye. Try the classic cat-eye.

Zell dincht

10-01-2005, 07:32 PM

there's a book called "Asian Beauty" ( I forgot the author) but basically it details skin care and makeup tips specifically for asian women.

The gist of the makeup tips is fairly straightforward.

- use a med-coverage foundation to even out your complexion. powder lightly to set the foundation.

- don't wear too much blush. since asians don't usually have high cheekbones it just looks fake. instead use a highlighting product to create the illusion of light hitting the cheekbones. Try High Beam by BeneFit

- it's all about the eyes :) the stereotype look is black eyeliner, a moderrn shade of eyeshadow and not too much mascara. (although in Japan, spiky lashes are in)

- eyebrows should be fine and well groomed. the arch should be roughly above your pupil

Think Lucy Liu - simple, clean, flawless, gorgeous.
could you use any of the stuff to make yourself look like myavi though?
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/ZellDinct69/miyavi.jpg

deschaos

10-01-2005, 07:47 PM

could you use any of the stuff to make yourself look like myavi though?
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b329/ZellDinct69/miyavi.jpg

Unless if you already have pale skin, use a foundationthat is a shade lighter than your skintone. I'm assuming that what you already have makeup wise is perfectly fine, since you're supposed to wear foundation with a yellow tone in it. Use a green base underneath it to get rid of pink tones. Powder.

You want to make yourself look pale with a creamy tone, not white face pale.

Also, you want to make your face look more rounded and curved. This is why Asian men can look feminine because their faces are less angular than a caucasian male.

If you're a male, you want to make sure that people cannot see stubble. Period. You also would want to make your eyebrows a little thinner and definately use eyebrow pencil in brown/grey.

The eyes themselves... if you have a really big crease (like Mana's or Cher) , then I'm lost. However if you have a normal/smallish crease (like Tom Cruise's) then I would actually go with Neko_Emiko's thing with eyeliner and emphasize the outer corner of the eyes with brown and grey eyeshadow with a little definition from a black pencil.

Zell dincht

10-01-2005, 07:57 PM

sweetu. thanks.

Nina Star 9

10-01-2005, 08:28 PM

to make your eyes look more like his, wear white eyeliner on the bottoms right in the middle. this will make them look wider there.

kabuki_KILLER

10-02-2005, 01:39 AM

Actually, no. Japanese do not necessarily have the most defined features, nor do they necessarily have the palest skin. You've probably just seen more airbrushed pictures of Japanese since you're bigger fans of Japanese pop culture. I'm Chinese and I have yet to find a Japanese girl with more defined natural features than myself or whiter skin during the colder months. About 95% of asian celebs have had some form of plastic surgery (whether or not they admit it). It's kinda hard to tell race by classifying features anyway, offensive or not offensive.

Because not every asian face is alike (just like not every caucasian face is alike), there's no set of rules to follow to make yourself look more asian.

If you want to make your eyes look less creased, I can offer a pointer for that. Put a lighter color shadow on the area where your crease is, therefore flattening the crease. And then apply a little bit darker shadow to the ball area right under the crease to make it recede. This should give an illusion of a flatter eye, if that's what you're going to try and do.

Rosieal

10-03-2005, 07:51 AM

This might be a little off-topic, but it is worth it to invest on some dark-coloured contact lenses. If possible, get a black or dark brown one.

As for the crease, I realise that if I put eyeliner just on the top of my lashes, my eyes look much more oriental. It's a quick fix, but it works. Unless you have a very defined crease, then this trick will do. ^_^

BlueRose

10-03-2005, 10:45 AM

get a life and get on with your cosplaying.

...

roflz, im going to put this in my sig.

deschaos

10-03-2005, 11:11 AM

This might be a little off-topic, but it is worth it to invest on some dark-coloured contact lenses. If possible, get a black or dark brown one.

As for the crease, I realise that if I put eyeliner just on the top of my lashes, my eyes look much more oriental. It's a quick fix, but it works. Unless you have a very defined crease, then this trick will do. ^_^

I was reading WIRED magazine and there's this contact lense that's completely black and slightly larger than the iris, giving a more "anime eye" look to it. So you can get black contact lenses. It looks rather striking if you have fair hair.

TribalButterfly

10-03-2005, 06:02 PM

Everyone always tells me that I look asian all the time (which i don't understand because unfortunatly i am pure white girl - 0 asian - although i wish i DID look more asian) Large eyes, olive complexion, high cheek bones, roman nose, no idea how i look asian, but it's all the makeup skills i use. I have ALWAYS loved japan, and impliment it's artistry a lot in my look. My makeup style is pure anime exadurated geshia styles.

Liquid black liner on the top lid of the eyes - make sure to extend past the end of the eye to make the eye/lashes look longer.
White base color of eye shaddow on upper lid - also under your eyes to make ur face look brighter - just make it subtle.
Red eye shaddow in outter corner of upper eye lids to make them more elegant.
mascara on lashes
a wee bit of charcol colored eye liner on lower lid
red rouge on cheecks to make u look like ur always blushing
red lips.

It might sound WAY too made up, but if you've ever seen me you'd love it! It takes a lot of practice and percision to pull it off without looking like a hooker, but if u can manage it, its damn exotic and sexy! ;)

deschaos

10-03-2005, 09:57 PM

To tone down tribalbutterfly's look, you don't have to wear red lipstick or blush. Many Asians don't really wear red lipstick anymore because it's really easy for them to look like hookers < talking from experience > or one of the older women (as in 50+ because it's not the style anymore). I'm not saying that there aren't any Asians who don't wear red lippy (in fact, I pull off the red lipstick look very well) but just that it's not that important.

I would think that the reason why red lippy would look more exotic is because it makes the mouth look fuller, but personally I find that most (Asian and non Asian) women look better with neutral colored lips

As for blush... you don't really need it. I'm Asian and I don't look like I'm blushing all the time and it doesn't make me look any less Asian. XDD

It really depends on what look you're going for. If your character requires red lippy, then go ahead.

RedPikachu

10-07-2005, 05:49 PM

yes, dark contacts are an absolute must...

Chosuke

10-12-2005, 06:54 AM

Any advice/tips I can give you, from my experiences with Japanese fashion mags and crossplay makeup. I'm no expert, but these have worked for me in all cases. Though looking asian wasn't really the point.

1. I always make sure I wear good foundation when crossplaying, so my skin is perfectly even and there is no 'pink' in the cheeks. If you look in most Asian fashion magazines, both the girls and boys have flawless skin and don't have that much of a blush. It's more of a dewy, creamy look. A tinted foundation is awesome, cause you'll get the nice clean face without looking pasty as hell. If you're not going for the dewy look, at least use a velvety pressed power to soften the angles of your face and take away shine.

2. LAY OFF THE EYELINER, JESUS. If you've ever looked in a magazine like "Kera" or "Cute" You'll notice the trend is LITTLE TO NONE EYELINER. If you're going to use eyeliner, use a dark chestnut brown. Lightly line between your top lashes, maybe a darken the corner of your eyes a tiny bit. 'Winged' eyeliner I don't think makes ANYONE look asian, and looks really bad on any of the asian girls I know.
White eyeliner also works really well. If you line 'inside' the rim of your eyes, and define the inner 'peak' the light really opens them up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Choby/photos%20of%20me/prince.jpg
Heres an idea of white I mean. You can see the white eyeliner, and it stands out well.
This was about a year ago, and it was just me messing around with eye makeup. I really should of been wearing foundation as well, and toned down the natural colour of my lips.

3. I find the best way to diminish the eye crease is to make sure you evenly use the right concealer, and blend your foundation over your eyelid. This is a normal practice in makeup, and you should do it anyway. Overtop of that, it's also good to use a shade of eyeshadow thats a few tones lighter then your own skin colour.

4.Lips should be nude. Unless you're cosplaying an asian actoress/singer/VK rocker or whatever who has blatantly coloured lips. By nude I mean a colour the same as your own lips, possibly a little lighter. Nothing with a horrible shine. Subtle and sweet is really in right now. Your features also don't look as sharp with a soft lipstick.

5. I third whoever said anything about dark contacts. It helps alot. I was born with black/brown eyes, being quarterJap/quarterIndian my self. But when I wear blue contacts, I'm astonished with how different my face looks. Dark eyes will also pull together the clean and subtle makeup together alot better.

6. Only light mascara. I've never met an asian girl (or boy) who packs on the mascara like white people do. Actually, a lash tint is better. So your lashes are darkened, but not lengthened. Maybe sweep it over your eyebrows once too, so they look clean and groomed.

7. A nice subtle bronzer looks nice when swept across the cheekbones, and around the 'outline' of the face. This softens the angles also, and should blend really nicely into foundation.

I think thats it as far as I can remember for little tips and stuff.
Like I said, I'm no expert, but those 7 things always seem to make a difference.
Anything else I have to say..uhh... NOT ALL ASIAN GIRLS ARE GEISHA. And contrary to popular belief, our westernized idea of Geisha makeup is horribly off. Probably due to the fact most people would think actual Geisha makeup was hideous.

nuriko001

10-12-2005, 10:12 PM

hmmm interesting thread.. funny how people that are asian don't see the big deal of looking asian LOL.. then again there's asians that don't want to look asian..

sometimes i think .. that focusing on the actual costume is the most important before the makeup.. i mean.. it's the costume that makes the thing work not just the makeup.. some people need to focus on that first before makeup..

also.. being chinese 'and you all probabaly have heard this already'.. can you people stop enforcing those sterotypes of slanted eyes and no extra flap and whatnot..

I mean.. seriously.. those asian you people want to cosplay AREN"T WHAT ASIANS look like.. 90% have had surgery. big eyes IS NOT ASIAN. they do that so they look more western. but yeah.. for me.. if anything it's the hair that makes it look asiany..

but yeha.. i dunno i'm offended by what i've read on this.. and i know a bunch of others are too. its the same for other races seeing other races try and look like them... even if it is for the sake of cosplay.. focus on the costume should be the first priority..( i'm not going to say anything mean.. cause i don't want to be kicked off.... but these types of threads are unessarry and reinforce sterotypes.

Nina Star 9

10-13-2005, 12:16 AM

i can see where you are coming from, but if you are cosplaying as a very asian looking person (that has more than likely not had sugery to have the huge eyes and still seems to be very natural), and you are not all that asian-looking, it tends to look a little off, so some of us need a little help, okay?

another thing most people tend to overlook is body type. most asian females (that i am noticed) tend to have a straighter body than caucasians. which is hard when you are very curvey and want to cosplay someone with a barely defined waist that is wearing a corset. ~.~

eristell_neko

10-16-2005, 07:46 PM

I don't know what all I can add on to what everyone else has said, but it realy depends on who you are cosplaying. If you are cosplaying a actor/singer that wears coloured contacts alot, say, Gackt, you don't necisarily need dark contacts. If you are cosplaying someone who keeps their eyes natural or a little lighter, and your eyes are blue or green, then yes, dark contacts most likely will help.
But as someone said before, alot of asians are trying to look not-asian. Many of them are getting plastic surgery to make their eyes rounder and more caucasian-like, and even others still are getting surgery on other parts of their face, such as their nose or chin.
But as many have said before me, the big trend in makeup is to make it subbtle, except in the viskei circut. I sugest studying who you are cosplaying as. As many have said, the white eyeliner on the inside of the bottom eyelid helps a bit, as does making your eyeliner, if you have some, just a tiny bit thicker on the outside corner than on the rest of your eye. And don't go with black eyeliner, unless whoever you're cosplaying as is using it.
Unfourtunately, that's about all I can give you. Most of the people I cosplay as are j-rockers (ie Mana, Kyo, etc, etc, etc). I hope what everyone has said helps you out.

deschaos

10-16-2005, 08:16 PM

hmmm interesting thread.. funny how people that are asian don't see the big deal of looking asian LOL.. then again there's asians that don't want to look asian..

sometimes i think .. that focusing on the actual costume is the most important before the makeup.. i mean.. it's the costume that makes the thing work not just the makeup.. some people need to focus on that first before makeup..

also.. being chinese 'and you all probabaly have heard this already'.. can you people stop enforcing those sterotypes of slanted eyes and no extra flap and whatnot..

I mean.. seriously.. those asian you people want to cosplay AREN"T WHAT ASIANS look like.. 90% have had surgery. big eyes IS NOT ASIAN. they do that so they look more western. but yeah.. for me.. if anything it's the hair that makes it look asiany..

but yeha.. i dunno i'm offended by what i've read on this.. and i know a bunch of others are too. its the same for other races seeing other races try and look like them... even if it is for the sake of cosplay.. focus on the costume should be the first priority..( i'm not going to say anything mean.. cause i don't want to be kicked off.... but these types of threads are unessarry and reinforce sterotypes.

Seconded. Concentrate on the costume, because it's no big deal if you look asian or not. Hell, I've seen really good cosplays done by people of colour who obviously ignored hte skin/bone structure of people. ANd even then, you see people with the "wrong" body cosplaying as a character, like say, a person with Kinomoto Sakura's (slim, litte curves) bodytype doing a Chun Li (muscular, curvy, packs most weight on thighs) cosplay.

By the way, my dad's side has big eyes. So yea, big eyes are definately Asian. And I have curves, so curves are definately Asian. And I see that there are Caucasians who have small eyes, so should I say that caucasions have small eyes?

There really is no body stereotype. If you ever been to Asia, it's pretty much true. You can't say who has what because there is no "in general" with bodytypes. There is with faces, but not bodytypes. Me and my friend are pear shaped, but others have flat butts.

Someone mentioned something about Asians making eye creases. Speaking from experience, actually, when Asians make it, it looks completely different from the Caucasians since there's more fat on the eyelid. So you can't really say that we're trying to look more "western" when in fact it does something completely different. Same thing like saying that if you dye your hair black, you're trying to look more Asian, you know? Speaking of which... not all asians naturally have black or dark brown hair. My hair is red-brown with highlights from the sun... ALL natural too. And my friend (korean) has light brown hair. Just another point I wanted to make in case anyone wanted to know it.

Nina Star 9

10-16-2005, 09:23 PM

i do not think that anyone said that all asians look the same, have the same facial structure, or that all asian want to be white/all cosplayers want to be asian.

it is just that there are a few things that tend to be more common in asian people than in non asian peoples, just like how some things tend to be more common in white people than in non white people. no eyecrease, smaller eyes, and a straighter body are three of thsoe thigns, just like how africans tend to have curly hair and scandinavians tend to have lighter skin. not all africans have curly hair, not all scandinavians have light skin. it is just somethign that is more common in those ethic groups. there are even variations from one part of asia to anoyher for these common traits, as there are diffrences like such in any part of the world. and then the people themselves are even more diverse. take amano tsukiko, my favorite singer and cosplay subject. (piccy in my avatar) she is more pear-shaped than the "typical" asian body. peope have natural diffrences.

i do not think anyone here does not know that, so pointing this out does no one any good, and probably does more harm by getting people mad at the things you are saying.

and yes, the costume is important. but looking like the character/singer/whatever is also important to some people, such as myself. so, some people that want as much accurasy as possible need threads like this. so putting down people that want as much accuracy as possible is somehow accpetable, just because you happen to naturally look how some people need to look to obtain true cosplay accuracy? whatever. i could rant for hours on this, but i shall refrain.

Sarcasm-hime

12-09-2005, 03:56 AM

Everyone always tells me that I look asian all the time (which i don't understand because unfortunatly i am pure white girl - 0 asian - although i wish i DID look more asian) Large eyes, olive complexion, high cheek bones, roman nose, no idea how i look asian, but it's all the makeup skills i use. I have ALWAYS loved japan, and impliment it's artistry a lot in my look. My makeup style is pure anime exadurated geshia styles.

Uh huh...everybody tells you you look asian because of your amazing 'geshia' makeup skills. Good for you. I'm not even going to TRY to figure out what the hell "pure anime exadurated geshia styles" means. -_-'

Looking 'asian' is, as others have pointed out, a very broad statement since there are so many facial and body types in Asia. And since most anime characters don't look stereotypically 'asian' anyways, why worry about it? Putting on red lipstick and thick black eyeliner isn't going to make you look asian, it's going to make you look like a dumb Westerner's fantasy of an "exotic Chinagirl", which is to say, nothing like a real Asian person.

Cherry

12-09-2005, 05:44 PM

Uh huh...everybody tells you you look asian because of your amazing 'geshia' makeup skills. Good for you. I'm not even going to TRY to figure out what the hell "pure anime exadurated geshia styles" means. -_-'

Looking 'asian' is, as others have pointed out, a very broad statement since there are so many facial and body types in Asia. And since most anime characters don't look stereotypically 'asian' anyways, why worry about it? Putting on red lipstick and thick black eyeliner isn't going to make you look asian, it's going to make you look like a dumb Westerner's fantasy of an "exotic Chinagirl", which is to say, nothing like a real Asian person.

You are my hero, Sarcasm-hime.

She does have a point. Isn't the entire idea of most anime to have big, round eyes? Unless you're doing a manga styled character that is obviously japanese, or perhaps off a video game, there's no real reason to go to leaps and bounds to look japanese. As for looking asian . . . Well, I've known lots of people who've come from what would be concidered asian countries that would have rounded eyes. Just because the anime is made in Japan doesn't mean that if you aren't Japanese, that your costume won't be just as good as anyone else's. Heck, I rarely put anything on save for a bit of base over my lips when I cosplay a guy. When I did Meroko, I put a bit of eyeliner on with pink eyeshadow, because. . . that's what girls wear? But I don't think I'd go to amazing extents to glam myself up over it.